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Monday, April 28, 2008

I shouldn't have asked. I feel sort of overwhelmed. Maybe because my answers are so underwhelming. So, I'm just going to start with a few. When I get around to it, I'll post my top favorite questions and leave it up to you guys to pick the winner of the amazing $5 gift card. Pathetic, I know.

Jocasta asked, "What is the earliest thing you remember? "My earliest memory is waking up very early one morning.......it was still dark and walking into the kitchen to see my mom helping my dad get out the door for work. He was carrying one of those big silver coffee thermos'. If I'm pinpointing time correctly, I must have been about 2.

Casey asked a few, "How has parenting become easier or more difficult as each baby was born? I can only imagine the change from having 1 child to 5, but what was it like in between?How much sleep do you average each night?If you ever get quiet time in your house....just you, how do you spend your time?And most importantly....in your dream when you were holding my kids all at once (effortlessly, I might add) was I out having fun while you were babysitting? Was my house clean?"

I think parenting has become both easier and more difficult. The stages I've experienced over and over have gotten easier. Like changing diapers. Knowing when they are tired, hungry or just need some loving. The stages that I experience for the first time with Grace (since she's my oldest) are hard. I find myself much more patient with my babies and younger children than I am with my older ones that I perceive as more capable and I'm too hard on them (especially Grace) many times. I think it's difficult to know when to push, when to back off. When they need a little affection, or some discipline. The hardest part for me is watching them grow up and hoping and praying that I haven't failed at my job........too terribly.

The sleep question......I don't know if I should admit this. I think some people assume I must not get any sleep and are amazed that I get done what I do during the day being sleep deprived. The truth is though that I routinely get about 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep per night. I'm not sleep deprived. Now. When the twins were newborns that was a different story though. I didn't think I'd ever sleep again back then. Besides having babies (plural) that wouldn't settle down and sleep at night, I was a glutton for punishment and pumped every 4 hours around the clock for 7 months. I don't know what I was thinking. I should calculate how much I saved in formula. When I see that it was substantial (like more than the $500 I lost) maybe I can trick myself into thinking it wasn't such a lame thing to do. Because I do. I nursed my singletons until they were well over a year so pumped because I wanted the twins to have all the benefits of breast milk too. In hindsight, I think the benefit of a mother that wasn't tied to a pump and slept more would have been more helpful.

When I have quiet time (it does happen!) I like to take a bath in my big ol jacuzzi tub and read a book.

In my dream when I was holding your girls I don't recall what your house looked like, and you were not out doing something fun. I was discussing with you (like it was a totally normal every day thing) their stats from their last doctors appointment and saying that one doesn't feel that much heavier than the other......while somehow holding all 3. Effortlessly. Ha

"If money were no object would you have more kids? How many if so? If Jacob & John had not been twins would you have had another? And the most important question off all...When do I get to meet you? :) " is the question Jenny asked.

If money were no object, I still wouldn't have any more kids. That sounds terrible doesn't it? What I really mean is that if we were rolling in the dough, my decision would not change to not birth more children. When I felt done, I didn't really let finances play too large of a role in the decision. I just felt like I had hit my threshold and didn't want to try to divide my time with more. It didn't help that my last 2 pregnancies were really stressful for me. I never loved being pregnant in the first place (I liked knowing it was the means to a baby, but I wasn't one of those people who love being pregnant), but adding the extra stress that a high risk pregnancy brings, I didn't think I'd be able to do it again. If Jacob and John were not twins I would not have had my tubes tied.......so perhaps. As for meeting, when this darn house finally sells I'm so looking forward to chatting in person and letting our twins play together!

Carissa asked, "Did you wear those fabulous deal/steal pants?" Oh yes. Well, except for one pair. I happened to be out shopping again and found another pair of jeans that I loved even more, so I bought them. But then I felt guilty for buying yet another pair of jeans so I sold the pair I hadn't yet worn (the blue crystal "A" pockets)......for $30 more than I paid for them.

Elizabeth asked, "If you could find two more hours in your day, how would you use the time?"I'd go back to school and get my brain cells moving again.

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comments:

I loved reading all of your answers! And I am impressed that you get 8 hours of sleep every night. I COULD get 8 hours of sleep, but I have a hard time getting myself into bed because I am enjoying all of the ME time:) I'm cracking up about your dream...you know you are welcome to come visit anytime. You'd just have to wear a blindfold so that you don't see my messy house!

Angie, I would have had the same exact answers to those questions. We never let money decide whether we would have more children because we always knew the Lord would take care of us. I just knew *I* could not handle bearing anymore children and raising them!

I am also too hard on Joseph. I always complain to him that he does not help much around here. Then when Michael and I took the boyus to Nauvoo... I was EXHAUSTED! I told him how much I appreciate him now that I know he helps trememndously!

♡ I find it harder to show the same amount of affection as the kids get older and our of the baby/toddler stage. I know it's wrong and bad but something I'm definately working on and aware of! Great post!

I was also too hard to Ibit, and felt so guilty about it. I thought it was too late to realize it, which was when Ar- Ir were about three. Now I'm trying to pay back how I've ignored her for years (paid more attention to her brothers), by giving her much more.I sometime still cry remembering how cruel I've been....

I think I repeating what everyone else is saying, but I too am interested in knowing about moving. I guess I missed something somewhere. Ohio is a great state for the 7 clown circus. :)I admit I would never move to OH.Too cold. Anyways you'll have to fill us all in.

Love the answers Angie...I am harder on the older kids as well. I think big families may tend to be that way...I would love to take some classes to get MY brain cells moving as well... I feel SOOO fried.

I agree... as a mother I'm always wondering about the actions I take today and how they will shape tomorrow's future and hopefully it's the best I could've done. Someone once told me to judge your mothering skills not based on how your children turn out, but how your grandchildren turn out. I don't know if I agree, but it's an interesting thought.

First, I must say how impressed I am with your nursing abilities. To nurse twins is astounding to me. Second, I loved reading this and discovering so much about you. You have a talent for sharing your thoughts.